Oh....Canada (unbelievable)

PatPatriot · Jul 19, 2004

Monday, July 19, 2004
Canada Keeps Censoring Fox but OKs Al-Jazeera

Canada's increasingly strange government, which continues to censor Fox News Channel, has covertly approved the unleashing of the terrorists' favorite propaganda machine.

"The federal broadcast regulator made one of its most controversial decisions in recent years when it approved the digital distribution [Thursday] of the Arabic-language TV news network Al-Jazeera, although it did so without any public hearings," the Toronto Globe and Mail reported today.

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Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, apparently caught up in Ottawa's P.C. craze for "diversity," also OK'd eight "other so-called ethnic distribution requests": five in Spanish, one German, one Romanian and another Arabic-language station.
But Canada's FNC fans who want a popular network that would actually draw an audience are out of luck. Like America's pseudo-intelligentsia, the Canadian elites have no tolerance for diversity of ideas that might be moderate, conservative, libertarian or patriotic.

xpanda · Jul 19, 2004

I was wondering when someone would post this.

I'm not sure that I fully understand why Fox News isn't given a station, given that CNN and CNN Headline News both run 24 hours a day where I live. I'd also like to know if this is a censorship issue, although it is fair to note that CNN classifies as right-of-centre here. Fox, in all honesty, would probably give most of us the giggles.

On our acquiring Al Jazeera, I have no issue. Nor should anyone who cares about free speech. I am going to guess that Fox News will get its day on our television sets in the reasonably near future if the CRTC is to impress upon any of us that free speech matters to them. Prior excuses about Canadian content were one thing, but in the face of the news that Al Jazeera (which I have already seen many many times, by the way, and it's not the propaganda machine the American media and gov't makes it out to be) it will be difficult for them to justify keep Fox out when there are people here who would watch it.

I hope that on day one, tho, that Bill O'Reilly, the windbag twit that he is, fires off another Boycott Canada rant over your deserters. He's intellectually dishonest, morally bankrupt, and I say bring him on.

Oceans11 · Jul 19, 2004

I can't see why the Canadians wouldn't allow Fox-redneck-101 to transmit.
There must be some other issue that bars them from Canada.

A lot of nations are a bit sniffy about who gets terrestrial access.
Are any canadian channels inside the US?

You can get it on Satellite anyway, if you're bored with the comedy channel.

Can you get Al-jazeera in the US?

PatPatriot · Jul 19, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Fox, in all honesty, would probably give most of us the giggles.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The one thing Fox does thats more important than anything is,is to do a left wing media check. It tells you what the NY,Times cnn,nbc,abc,cbs convinintly leave out of there reporting....Like Joe Wilson being a liar instead of thee hero of the 21st century.
Speaking of giggles the left tried their own radio show that is now out of buisness and was funded by limosine liberals and guess what? Real comedians.Whos laughing now?....there are probably 50 conservative talk shows around the country and they are what?...Market driven successes.Ain't that funny?
The left winger in Canada are petrified of Fox news!

xpanda · Jul 19, 2004

I looked around -- can't seem to find a legit reason why Fox isn't here. Many speculators claiming that the CRTC is full of Liberal Party appointees -- could be true I don't know -- who are concerned about a conservative voice 24/7. I really think it's now only a matter of time before FNC is here. Oh, joy. Well, let's hope this doesn't lead to a mass breeding of Patriots all over my great country.

Vive la "free speech" et "de-regulation" en Canada.

xpanda · Jul 19, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Patriot:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Fox, in all honesty, would probably give most of us the giggles.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The one thing Fox does thats more important than anything is,is to do a left wing media check. It tells you what the NY,Times cnn,nbc,abc,cbs convinintly leave out of there reporting....Like Joe Wilson being a liar instead of thee hero of the 21st century.
Speaking of giggles the left tried their own radio show that is now out of buisness and was funded by limosine liberals and guess what? Real comedians.Whos laughing now?....there are probably 50 conservative talk shows around the country and they are what?...Market driven successes.Ain't that funny?
The left winger in Canada are petrified of Fox news!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

True enough, but all it talks about it American issues. It's why CNN isn't ranked that highly here. People have a tendency to like watching their own news, my darling. Most people that I know could give a shit about American news, with the exception of a few talking points on Bush. Let me ask you this: do you have any Canadian, ultra-left news where you live?

Supply and demand, my dear.

PatPatriot · Jul 19, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Vive la "free speech" et "de-regulation" en Canada. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just not fox news.

PatPatriot · Jul 19, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR> True enough, but all it talks about it American issues <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

And Al Jezera talks about?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Well, let's hope this doesn't lead to a mass breeding of Patriots all over my great country <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
That would be a contribution to Canada of handsome Irish lads and lasses.

GAMEFACE · Jul 19, 2004

Some of you are far more radical than I believed. What good is Canada these days? Good thing they do not border Iran or Iraq. They are starting to act like the French. Maybe a boycott of vacationing in Canada would get their attention.

UncleMoneybags · Jul 19, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by eek:
Are any canadian channels inside the US?

You can get it on Satellite anyway, if you're bored with the comedy channel.

Can you get Al-jazeera in the US?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes and yes. As a matter of fact, you can get many Arabic stations on Directv but if I recall it was 20/month. Hardly worth it unless that's all you understand.

jimbutorac · Jul 19, 2004

Gameface: "What good is Canada these days?"

Uh, they are our allies in Afghanistan, you know the ones that suffered KIAs in a friendly fire bombing by the Americans and still stand by us to this day there. The first country on the ground in Afghanistan besides the USA.

eldiablo · Jul 19, 2004

Xpanda

"Most people that I know could give a shit
about American news, with the exception of a few talking points on Bush."

Do you group yourself with your friends ? You love talking about American news and issues that don't affect you.

Benassflick · Jul 19, 2004

CNN is the most innaccurate bias piece of crap there is out there. How many times did they falsley state WMD and chemical weapons had been found? Wolf Blitzer even admits they are a horribly inaccurate and incompetant lot. Canada doesn't put up with this kind of bullshit and unsubstantiated reporting. The U.S. is generally uneducated and easilly duped

American · Jul 19, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Benassflick:
Canada doesn't put up with this kind of bullshit and unsubstantiated reporting. The U.S. is generally uneducated and easilly duped<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thank God we have Canada to lead the world into the new millenium by setting the example of how a morally and politically perfect society should be.

Benassflick, I think you need to defect to somewhere.

WildBill · Jul 19, 2004

You guys on the right just are too sensitive these days. You didn't care about Canada before, why care about them now? I personally find it a great place to spend a few days every now and then. I lived there for about 4 months during college and yeah, they do tax a lot. But who cares about that, unless you are going to live there? And why do people care which news they watch anyways? If you want people that don't like Fox News you can find them in every city of the US that has a newspaper. This whole thing just shows how over-sensitive the "right" has become. They backed themselves into their own corner and their way out is a "with us or against us" stance. If someone doesn't back them, then they are looked on as a potential enemy. How ridiculous. Most of the world is saying if the US wants to do what it wants, go ahead, just don't count on us to help. That is the Canadian attitude and certainly a fair one to have if they so choose.

xpanda · Jul 20, 2004

Okay, I found out what the issue is (from a friend who is an editor at the Globe and Mail where Pat's article comes from. I figured he might know the rules of the CRTC.)

Apparently there are limits to the number of stations one network can occupy here. CNN has well, CNN and CNN Headline News so they're done. Fox currently has regular Crap Fox (the Temptation Island one, aka Aren't We a Bunch of Hypocrites With No Taste?) and Fox SportsWorld. Neither of those is going anywhere anytime soon, given their ratings, so if FNC wants in, they've got to ween first.

El D: yes, I am one of three people in my circle of friends who pays significant attention to American politics. But I was talking about American News. We watch Canadian News for a less biased version of what the US is doing around the globe. If I wanted to hear the watered-down bullshit version, I'd just give the White House a call. Also, you've got to drop this impression that you have that American politics doesn't affect non-citizens. What a load of crap. I suppose you also think the Soviets should have been left alone as well?

Pat: Al Jazeera will be broadcast in Arabic. I don't know yet if there will be subtitles. Also, it will be on a 60-second delay with 24 hour editing supervisors in the event that things like beheadings are shown. Bringing in AJ is to satisfy our Muslim market here.

American · Jul 20, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by xpanda:

Pat: Al Jazeera will be broadcast in Arabic. I don't know yet if there will be subtitles. Also, it will be on a 60-second delay with 24 hour editing supervisors in the event that things like beheadings are shown. Bringing in AJ is to satisfy our Muslim market here.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You're "Muslim market" went way up after 9/11. I saw where hundreds of Muslims were relocating to Canada on a daily basis to get away from unfavorable treatment in the states.

xpanda · Jul 20, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Mudbone:
Gameface: "What good is Canada these days?"

Uh, they are our allies in Afghanistan, you know the ones that suffered KIAs in a friendly fire bombing by the Americans and still stand by us to this day there. The first country on the ground in Afghanistan besides the USA.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

U.S. pilot convicted in Afghan bombing that killed 4 Canadians loses appeal

Mon Jul 19, 2:22 PM ET

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AP) - The American general who found a U.S. fighter pilot guilty of dereliction of duty in the mistaken bombing that killed four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan (news - web sites) turned down the pilot's appeal Monday.

The appeal by Maj. Harry Schmidt, found guilty in an administrative hearing earlier this month in the April 2000 bombing in which eight Canadian soldiers were also wounded, now goes to the head of U.S. combat command for a final decision. No date has been set.

Lt.-Gen. Bruce Carlson, who issued the original verdict, said in his letter of reprimand that Schmidt "acted shamefully" and exhibited "arrogance and a lack of flight discipline" in the April 2002, bombing.

Schmidt, who was ordered to forfeit more than $5,000 US in pay, had appealed the ruling, saying the reprimand was issued as a "desire to mount a public relations campaign rather than actually attempt to see justice done."

The U.S. air force announced Monday that Carlson had rejected Schmidt's appeal of his verdict. The case now will be forwarded to Gen. Hal Hornburg, commander of the air force combat command, for a final decision which is not further reviewable, the air force said.

Schmidt's lawyer, Charles W. Gittins, could not be reached for comment.

The attack killed Pte. Richard Green, Pte. Nathan Smith, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer and Sgt. Marc Leger - the first Canadians to die in combat since the Korean War.

Schmidt, 39, was originally charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault, but the charges were reduced last year to dereliction of duty. Not by us, they weren't.

The air force announced June 25 that it had decided not to put Schmidt on trial to face dereliction-of-duty charges for the bombing. The pilot could have faced up to six months in prison if convicted in a trial.

Instead, the charges were shifted out of the air force's criminal court system to a non-judicial forum, overseen by the general. The sentencing options did not include a prison term. Complete horseshit. Try that in reverse -- Canadians kill American soldiers -- oh, wait, that's right, our little 15-year-old held in Guantanamo Bay for two years with no charges pending and no access to an attorney until last month .... Why could we not throw this Schmidt guy in one of our prisons, try him through our courts? Ah, righto, IMMUNITY!

Besides the reprimand, the air force said Schmidt would lose one-half of a month's pay for two months - $5,672 US.

Schmidt had transferred to the Illinois Air National Guard in 2000 after a decorated career as a U.S. navy pilot and an instructor at the navy's Top Gun fighter pilot school. He remains a member of the National Guard, but has agreed that he will never fly jets for the U.S. air force again.

Schmidt blamed the "fog of war" for his attack, saying he mistook the Canadians' gunfire for an attack from Taliban fighters.

The pilot also said his superiors never told him that the Canadians would be conducting live-fire exercises near Kandahar airport that night.

But Carlson found Schmidt had become impatient waiting for permission from air controllers to attack, saying he had been warned to "make sure it's not friendlies" before firing.

The reprimand said Schmidt should have taken evasive action rather than attack, and accused him of lying about his motivation for the bombing, using "the inherent right of self-defence as an excuse to wage your own war."

Schmidt's mission commander on the flight that night, Maj. William Umbach, was also initially charged with assault and manslaughter. Those charges were dismissed last summer and he was allowed to retire from the Air National Guard.

eldiablo · Jul 20, 2004

What did the Soviets ever do ?

Xpanda, you seem to be so blase with all of this. It gets you off and you know it. Yes, maybe a few things affect Canadians ...but you love to engage in all of it. I want you to admit it .....and I will quit f***ing with you on it.

Xpanda loves the USA !!!!!!